One-piece carton



Sept. 25,1962 H. w. LAYNE, SR

ONE-PIECE CARTON Filed Dec. 29, 1958 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent ()fi ice 3,055,569 ONE-PIECE CARTON Harold W. Layne, Sr., Beech Grove, Ind., assignor to Inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation Filed Dec. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 783,371 2 Claims. (Cl. 229l6) This invention relates generally to cartons formed of fibreboard or the like and particularly to a one-piece carton particularly adapted to the transport or storage of bottled beverages.

In the transport and storage of bottled beverages such as beer, the use of cartons formed completely of fibreboard has become widespread. The problem in providing these cartons has been to design a structure having the required ruggedness and strength which can be manufactured at relatively low cost. Since cartons of this type are normally lifted by means of handgrip apertures in the carton end panels, both the ends and base of the carton must have the added strength provided by multiple-ply construction. This multiple-ply construction should, ideally, be formed from a blank which has been appropriately slotted and scored with a minimum of cutout waste.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a one-piece carton which is provided with four-ply ends and a two-ply base, the blank forming the carton being prepared with a minimum of cutout waste.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carton of the type referred to above which can be set up from its slotted and scored blank without the necessity of stitching, taping or gluing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carton of the type referred to above wherein no separate reinforcing members of wood, fibre or the like are required to strengthen the area adjacent the handgrip apertures.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a scored and slotted blank from which the carton of the present invention is formed.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a carton embodying the present invention in the process of being set up from the blank of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a carton embodying the present invention.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the blank from which the carton 'is to be formed has a generally rectangular overall configuration. The blank is transversely scored at to provide a base panel 11 and integral side panels 12 and 13. The side panels are scored at 14 to provide integral end panels 16 and 17 and end panels 18 and 19 at opposite ends of the side panels 13 and 12, respectively.

The blank is provided with relatively wide transverse slots 21 and longitudinal slots 22 which, together with the scoring 23 on the end panels 16 and 17 define base flaps 28 and 29. The margins of the end panels 16 and 17 are provided with spaced scoring indicated at 31 which, together with longitudinal slots 32 formed in the blank, define end flaps 33 and 34. The slots 32 and the scoring 10 define a top flap 36 which, in turn, is scored at 37 to provide a flange 38. The cut forming the flange 38 is such as to provide tabs 39 which extend sidewardly from the flange.

Adjacent the side panel 12 the blank is slotted at 41, these slots forming one margin of end flaps 43 and 44. The end flaps are integral with the end panels 18 and 19, the boundary therebetween being defined by the parallel 3,055,569 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 lines 46. The lines 46 represent a out which is made not completely through the blank but, in the case of corru gated fibreboard, is made through all but the outer liner so that the end flaps 43 and 44 can be easily folded back upon their contiguous end panels 19 and -18, respectively. In case the blank is formed of material other than corrugated fibreboard, a relatively deep scoring along the lines indicated at 46 would also permit folding of the end flaps over the end panels.

The scoring 10 and the slots 41 define a top flap 47 scored at 50 to provide a marginal flange 48 carrying sidewardly extending tabs 49. The end flaps 33 and 43 and the end panel 19 are provided with registering handgrip apertures 33a, 43a and 19a, respectively. The end flap 33 is additionally provided with circular apertures 33b adapted to accommodate the tabs 49 and 39 on the flanges 48 and 38. The end panel 17 is also provided with a handgrip aperture 17a, the aperture being formed so that the material struck therefrom provides a handgrip tab 17b.

The end flaps 34 and 44 and the end panel 18 are similarly provided with registering handgrip apertures 34a, 44a and 18a, respectively. The end flap 34 is further provided with circular apertures 34b. The end panel 16 is also provided with a handgrip aperture 16a this aperture being formed to provide the handgrip tab 16b corresponding to the tab 17b.

The carton may be set up as shown in FIG. 2 by folding up panels 17, 13 and 16 along scores 10 and 23. End panels 16 and 17 may then be swung inwardly causing base flaps 29 and 28 to lay on top of the base 11. End panel 19 and end flap 43 may then be folded upwardly along scoring 14 to a point slightly beyond a perpendicular relation with respect to side panel 12. End flap 43 may then be folded along scoring 46 so as to overlie end panel 19 and the same procedure may be followed with respect to end panel 18 and end flap 44. At the conclusion of this procedure the carton will be in the position shown in FIG. 2.

The side panel 12 may then be folded upwardly along scoring 10, and end panels 18 and 19 with their companion end flaps 34 and 33 may be swung inside of end panels 16 and 17 so that end flap 43 overlies end panel 17 and end flap 44 overlies end panel 16. End flaps 33 and 34 may then be folded along scoring 31 into overlying relation with respect to end panels 19 and 18, respectively. The handgrip tab 17b extends through the registering handgrip apertures in the end flap 43, the end panel 19 and the end flap 33. The marginal area of the tab 17b may be folded upwardly to grip the adjacent margins of the handgrip slot apertures. The handgrip tab 16b may be similarly extended through the registering handgrip apertures in end flap 44, end panel 18 and the end flap 34.

As may be seen in FIG. 3, this construction provides a four-ply end wall and a two-ply base. As will be evident from FIGS. 2 and 4, the top flaps 47 and 36 may be folded down over the top of the carton with the flanges 48 and 38 projecting inwardly and retained by the extension of the tabs 39 and 49 in the apertures 33b and 34b. It will be understood that various types of top flaps other than the single flange type here shown, could be utilized.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the carton of the present invention can be set up from a one-piece blank. The carton has a multiple-ply end wall and a multiple-ply base insuring ruggedness and strength over a relatively long service life. The handgrip tabs permit the elimination of any separate wood or fibre reinforcing members adjacent the handgrip apertures. No stitching, taping or gluing is required to set up the carton.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A one-piece carton comprising a base panel having an integral side panel at each of its side margins, each of said side panels having integral end panels extending from opposite end margins thereof, each of the pair of end panels carried by one of said side panels having an integral base flap and an integral end fiap extending from opposite side margins thereof, each of the pair of end panels carried by the other of said side panels having an integral end flap extending from one side margin thereof, an integral top flap carried by each of said side panels and extending from the side margin thereof opposite said base panels, registering handgrip apertures formed in said end panels and end flaps, the handgrip aperture in said end panels carried by said one of said side panels being formed to provide a tab at one aperture margin, said carton being formed by disposition of said base flaps in end abutting relation overlying said base panel, the end panels carried by said other side panel having their integral end flaps folded thereover, the resulting two-ply walls being disposed between the end flaps and end panels carried by said one side panel with said handgrip tabs extending through the registering handgrip apertures, whereby said carton is provided with a two-ply base and four-ply end walls.

2. A one-piece carton comprising a base panel having an integral side panel at each of its side margins, each of said side panels having integral end panels extending from opposite end margins thereof, each of the pair of end panels carried by one of said side panels having an integral base flap and an integral end flap extending from opposite side margins thereof, each of the pair of end panels carried by the other of said side panels having an integral end flap extending from one side margin thereof, registering handgrip apertures formed in said end panels and end flaps, the handgrip aperture in said end panels carried by said one of said side panels being formed to provide a tab at one aperture margin, said carton being formed by disposition of said base flaps in end abutting relation overlying said base panel, the end panels carried by said other side panel having their integral end flaps folded thereover, the resulting two-ply walls being disposed between the end fiaps and end panels carried by said one side panel with said handgrip tabs extending through the registering handgrip apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,663,485 Johnson Dec. 22, 1953 2,688,431 Loeb et al. Sept. 7, 1954 2,702,155 Baumann Feb. 15, 1955 2,805,813 Rittmueller Sept. 10, 1957 2,811,296 Long Oct. 29, 1957 2,828,059 Ross Mar. 25, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,066,597 France Jan. 20, 1954 

